Popularity of bee-keeping soars despite the plight of our native honey bee
Despite recent media coverage highlighting the plight of our native honey bee, the popularity of bee-keeping appears to be growing in the Midlands and across the UK.
Annual statistics published by the British Beekeeping Association (BBKA) show an increase in the number of current members this year – 17,500 compared to the 2008-09 period of 14,000. The average number of hives per beekeeper has also increased from 3.9 to 4.7.
It was reported last month that the UK’s honey bee population suffered further decline this winter due to the severe weather conditions across the country.
Results of the BBKA survey - asking members how many of their colonies of honey bees survived over the period November 09 - March 2010 - also estimates the national loss at 17.3 per cent. Northern England faired worst with highest losses of 26 per cent whilst the lowest losses were recorded in the south-west at 12.8 per cent.
Commenting on the survey, Martin Smith, BBKA President, said:
‘This year’s losses show a small and encouraging improvement on the 19.2 per cent losses of 2008-09 and are much better than the disastrous 30.1 per cent revealed by the 2007-08 survey.’
With the picture in the Midlands region unclear; Birmingham Recycled visited South Staffordshire Beekeepers Association to talk to apiary manager Neil Leadbetter and membership secretary Phil Healy about how members’ colonies had faired over the winter and find out what could be causing the decline in honey bee numbers.
Here’s our interview with Neil Leadbetter and Phil Healy
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Janette Marshall says:
This is all very encouraging news, more beekeepers is exactly what we need. The “mobile phone” theory is to me just as puzzling as Colony Collapse Disorder. Mobiles have been around for far more years than instances of disappearing bees. I was told by a famous beekeeper that the bees are just letting us know they have had enough. Beekeeping should be encouraged, why not have “lessons” in schools to teach our future generations that if we look after the bees, they will look after us.
Jun. 5 at 7:26 am